ai4bharat/Pralekha huggingface dataset:
Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas
TAX BREAKES ON ETHANOL
The Government has lowered Goods and Services Tax rate to 5% from 18% on ethanol meant for blending under the Ethanol Blended Petrol  Programme
The Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Shri Rameswar Teli in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha today informed that in order to promote ethanol blending, the Government has lowered Goods and Services Tax  rate to 5% from 18% on ethanol meant for blending under the Ethanol Blended Petrol  Programme. The procurement price of ethanol produced from sugarcane based feed stocks like C & B heavy molasses, sugarcane juice, sugar, sugar syrup are fixed by the Government and from food grain based feed stocks by Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies on an annual basis.
The measures taken by the Government to reduce dependence on imported gasoline include a number of policy initiatives for increase in domestic crude oil production by generating quality geo-scientific data and its easy access, awarding new exploration acreage, expediting production from new development acreages and focus on production maximization from existing production acreages. It has promoted usage of biofuel in the country by notification of the National Policy on Biofuels  - 2018 which allows use of multiple feedstocks for producing bio-ethanol for increased supply of ethanol for blending with petrol. The encouraging initiatives on supply side of ethanol has prompted the Government to advance the target of 20% ethanol blending in petrol in the country from 2030 to 2025-26. Government has also notified Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN Yojna for promoting Second Generation  ethanol production from cellulosic and lignocellulosic including petrochemical routein the country by providing financial support.
Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas
Shri Dharmendra Pradhan today reviewed oil and gas projects being undertaken in the Russian far-east; also visited the shipbuilding Complex, Zvezda
(The Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas & Steel Shri Dharmendra Pradhan today reviewed oil and gas projects being undertaken in the Russian far-east, including India Russia joint collaborations. Far-east in Russia has vast mineral opportunities, with Russian government keen to partner with India. The proposed joint projects are expected to further add strength to our time-tested bilateral friendship.
The Minister also visited the shipbuilding Complex, Zvezda. The Zvezda shipyard is poised to make a huge contribution in the development of Arctic shipping and developing shipping routes between Russia and India. Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi had visited the Zvezda ship building complex back in September’19 during his historic visit to Vladivostok, Russia. During Shri Pradhan’s visit to Zvezda, he was accompanied by CEO, Rosneft Mr Igor Sechin who demonstrated the cutting edge technologies there.
As a follow up to the visit of Hon’ble Prime Minister to Vladivostok for the Eastern Economic Forum in September 2019, the Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas & Steel is currently on a 4-day visit to Vladivostok.
YB
Ministry of Coal
Vaccination Drive at CMPDIL on the occasion of International Day of Yoga 2021
On the occasion of International Day of Yoga 2021 today, Vaccination drive was organised by CMPDIL , Ranchi in association with Ranchi District Administration in CMPDIL campus.
Shri Manoj Kumar, CMD, CMPDIL inaugurated the vaccination drive. More than 100 members in the age group 18-44 age got their first dose of vaccine under the supervision of Dr. Om Prakash & Dr.  Shilpi Swaroop, Dy. C.M.O, CMPDIL.
Dignitaries including Shri A.K.Rana, Director; Shri S.K. Gomasta, Director and others were present on the occasion.
Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution
The Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Shri Ram Vilas Paswan administers Swachhta pledge to all officials and employees of the Ministry marking celebration of Swachhta Pakhwada from 16th to 28th February 2019
Leading by example,Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Shri Ram Vilas Paswan cleans the area outside Krishi Bhawan
The Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Shri Ram Vilas Paswan administered the Swachhta pledge to all the officials and employees of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution in New Delhi todaymarking the celebrationofSwachhta Pakhwada scheduled from 16th to 28th February 2019. Shri Paswan also swept the area outside Krishi Bhawan along with Secretary, Consumer Affairs, Shri Avinash K Srivastavaand Secretary, Department of Food and Public Distribution, Shri Ravikant.
The Union Minister appealed to all the officials and employees of the Ministry to wholeheartedly join the countrywide cleanliness drive and make it a success. Shri Paswan also appealed to officials of his ministry to join the campaign and keep their homes, offices, neighbourhoods, towns and cities clean. TheSwachhta Pakhwada and pledge aims at fulfilling Mahatma Gandhi’s dream of an India which is not only free but also clean and developed. Shri Paswan exhorted that it is our duty to serve Mother India by keeping the country neat and clean and that everyone must devote 100 hours per year that is two hours per week for voluntary work for spreading cleanliness.
The Pakhwada is being organized to create awareness amongst officials as well as the general public on the importance of the need for sustained maintenance of cleanliness and hygiene. It is in support of the larger effort of the Government of India and the States to bring about behavioural change in the public towards eradication of unhygienic practices related to personal and environmental hygiene.
During the Pakhwada, the Ministry and its associated Departments and offices shall be taking up various activities to promote Swachchta such as improvement in the overall sanitary conditions of the office spaces and public spaces around it, provision of appropriate toilets, drinking water supply, etc. in the work spaces, awareness generation on quality of food grains etc.
The Union Minister also condemned the attack on CRPF personnel in Pulwama, Kashmir. Shri Paswan asserted that the sacrifices of our brave soldiers will not go in vain and expressed solidarity with the families of the brave martyrs. A two minute silence was also observed for the martyrs.
Ministry of Finance
Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana generated 1.12 crore net additional employment from 2015 to 2018
As per the results of a large sample survey conducted at the national level by Ministry of Labour and Employment  to assess employment generation under Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana , the scheme helped in generating 1.12 crore net additional employment during a period of approximately 3 years . This was stated by the Union Minister of State for Finance, Dr Bhagwat Kisanrao Karad, in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.
The Minister further stated that out of the total 81 lakh loans extended in the State of Rajasthan, more than 52 lakh loans have been extended to Women entrepreneurs in the last three financial years. This amounts to 64% of loans to Women.
Any matter relating to implementation of PMMY including, delay in turn-around-time , turning down of loan applications and lenders insistence on collateral/guarantor on certain occasions are redressed in coordination with the respective banks, the Minister stated.
The Scheme is reviewed from time to time wherein the scope and coverage of the Scheme has been extended as furnished below:
- In FY 2016-17, activities allied to agriculture, viz; pisciculture, beekeeping, poultry, livestock rearing, grading, sorting, aggregation agro industries, diary, fishery, agri-clinics and agribusiness centres, food and agro-processing, etc  and services supporting these, which promote livelihood or are income generating were brought under the ambit of PMMY.
- Since FY 2017-18, loans sanctioned for purchase for Tractors and Power Tillers are included as eligible loans under PMMY, subject to the upper ceiling of Rs. 10 lakh.
- Further, from 2018-19 onwards, loans sanctioned for purchase of two-wheelers by individuals for commercial purpose have also been included under PMMY.
About PMMY
Under the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana , collateral-free institutional credit up to Rs. 10 lakh is provided by Member Lending Institutions  i.e. Scheduled Commercial Banks , Regional Rural Banks , Non-Banking Financial Companies  and Micro Finance Institutions . Any individual, who is otherwise eligible to take a loan and has a business plan for small business enterprise can avail loan under the Scheme. S/he can avail loans for income generating activities in the manufacturing, trading, services sector and also for activities allied to agriculture across three loan products, viz. Shishu , Kishore  and Tarun .
Ministry of Jal Shakti
Plans to Provide Central Assistance to States
Since August 2019, Government of India, in partnership with States, is implementing Jal Jeevan Mission  to make provision of potable water to every rural household through tap water connection, by 2024.
Under JJM, the fund sharing pattern between Centre and States/ UTs  is 100:00 for Union Territories without legislature, 90:10 for North-Eastern & Himalayan States and UTs with legislature, and 50:50 for rest of the States. Further, under Support and Water Quality Monitoring System  activities the funding pattern is 100:00 for Union Territories, 90:10 for Himalayan & North-Eastern States and 60:40 for other States. There is no proposal currently under consideration for changing the funding pattern under the Jal Jeevan Mission.
Under the Mission, 30% weightage is assigned for difficult terrains which inter alia include areas under Desert Development Programme  and Drought Prone Area Programme  and 10% weightage is assigned for population residing in SC/ ST dominated areas, while allocating the fund, to prioritize the coverage in these areas.
In addition, provisions for taking up augmentation and strengthening of local & ancient drinking water sources in convergence with other schemes at village level viz. MGNREGS, 15th Finance Commission tied grants to Rural Local Bodies , Integrated Watershed Management Programme , State schemes, District Mineral Development Fund, CSR funds, community contribution, etc. have also been envisaged under the JJM.
This information was given by the Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Shri Prahlad Singh Patel in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
Update on COVID Relief Aid
The Inflow of Foreign Aid to combat COVID continues to be swiftly cleared, apportioned and sent to States/UTs
More than 10,000 Oxygen Concentrators; more than 12,000 Oxygen Cylinders; 19 Oxygen Generation Plants; more than 6,400 ventilators/Bi PAP; ~4.2 L Remdesivir vials delivered/ dispatched so far
The Government of India, at the forefront of the “Whole of government” approach to combat the ongoing COVID-19 has been receiving international donations and aid of COVID-19 relief medical supplies and equipment since 27 April 2021 from different countries/organisations to augment its efforts in fighting the unprecedented surge of cases. Through a streamlined and systematic mechanism, various Ministries/Departments of Government of India have seamlessly collaborated for expeditiously delivering the incoming global aid to States and UTs.
Cumulatively, 10,796 Oxygen Concentrators; 12,269 Oxygen Cylinders; 19 Oxygen Generation Plants; 6,497 ventilators/Bi PAP; ~4.2L Remdesivir vials delivered/ dispatched through road and air, from 27th April 2021 to 13th May 2021.
Major consignments received on 12/13th May 2021 from Indonesia, Luxembourg, Oman, South Korea, UK, USISPF, Finland and Greece include:
- Oxygen Concentrator: 1,506
- Oxygen Cylinder: 434
- Ventilator/ BiPAP/ CPAP: 58
Effective immediate allocation, and streamlined delivery to the recipient states/UTs and institutions is an ongoing exercise. The Union Health Ministry is comprehensively monitoring this on a regular basis. A dedicated Coordination Cell has been created in the Union Health Ministry to coordinate the receipt and allocation of foreign COVID relief material as grants, aid and donations. This Cell started functioning from 26th April 2021. A Standard Operating Procedure has been framed and implemented by the Health Ministry since 2nd May, 2021.
Photo 1. 150 Oxygen Cylinders received from the United Kingdom-based British Oxygen Company were delivered this morning at Patna Airport by Indian Air Force.
Photo 2. 29,514 vials of Remdesivir from the United States Of America landed in Mumbai this morning for onward distribution to all the States in the country.
Ministry of External Affairs
Post Office Passport Seva Kendra to be inaugurated at Ashoknagar, Barasat
Kolkata, January 28, 2019.
A Post Office Passport Seva Kendra  will be inaugurated at Barasat at Ashoknagar Sub Post Office on 01.02.2019 . Applicants are requested to bring Application Reference Number  sheets along with other necessary documents of identity proof, address and proof of date of birth . The detail information of the documents required can be obtained from the website www.passportindia.gov.in from 01.02.2019 onwards. Appointments for the same will be released on the website www.passportindia.gov.in from 30.01.2019 at 15.30 PM onwards. The applicants have to pay passport fee through online payment system.
Further, applicants who have obtained appointments through the online mode www.passportindia.gov.inwill be entertained. Tatkaal, On-hold files, wall-in and PCC applications will not be accepted and processed.
Prime Minister's Office
PM salutes soldiers of Armed Forces, on Armed Forces Flag Day
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has saluted the soldiers of Armed Forces and their families on Armed Forces Flag Day.
“On Armed Forces Flag Day we salute the indomitable courage of our forces and their families. I also urge you to contribute towards the welfare of our forces”, the Prime Minister said.
Ministry of Coal
Coal Production during April-February 2018-19
The coal production during April-February 2018-19 was 638.46 MT as compared to 591.42 MT during corresponding period of previous year with a growth rate of 8.0% on y-o-y basis.
Coal India Limited  coal production target was fixed 610.00 MT for 2018-19. The coal production during April-February 2018-19 was 527.70 MT as compared to 495.08 MT during corresponding period of previous year with a growth rate of 6.6% on y-o-y basis.
Singareni Collieries Company Limited  coal production target was fixed at 65.00 MT for 2018-19. The coal production during April-February 2018-19 was 57.94 MT as compared to 54.64 MT during corresponding period of previous year with a growth rate of 6.0% on y-o-y basis.
Coal production target of Captive Mines was fixed at 40.00 MT for 2018-19. The coal production during April-February 2018-19 was 44.41 MT as compared to 33.76 MT during corresponding period of previous year with a growth rate of 31.6% on y-o-y basis. Thus, the coal production target  by captive mines has already been achieved by Feb-2019.
Coal production target of other mines was fixed at 15.00 MT for 2018-19. The coal production by these mines during April-February 2018-19 was 8.40 MT as compared to 7.94 MT during corresponding period of previous year with a growth rate of 5.8% on y-o-y basis.
Coal Production from CIL:Month wise
Coal Production from CIL: April-February
Coal Offtake from CIL:
Coal Offtake from CIL: April-February
Coal Supply to Power Sector from CIL:
Coal Supply to Power Sector from CIL: April-February
Total Rake Loading from CIL: Month wise
Total Rake Loading from CIL: April-February
Stock at TPPs:
Stock at TPPs:
Stock at TPPs in days:
Critical/ Supercritical TPPs:
Vendible Stock at CIL:
Ministry of Commerce & Industry
Commerce Minister leads delegation for RCEP meet in Singapore
The Union Minister for Commerce & Industry and Civil Aviation, Suresh Prabhu, is leading the delegation for the meeting for trade Ministers of RCEP member countries which is taking place in Singapore on November 12-13, 2018.
The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership  is a pact that aims to cover goods, services, investments, economic and technical cooperation, competition and intellectual property rights. Trade Ministers of the 16 member RCEP are meeting in Singapore to continue to exert all efforts towards meeting the targets set. The chief negotiators had recently concluded the 24th round of meeting in Auckland, New Zealand, last month.
India already has a free trade agreement with Association of Southeast Asian Nations , Japan and South Korea and it is negotiating similar pacts with Australia and New Zealand.
India is pushing for liberalizing norms to promote services trade as the sector accounts for about 55 % of India’s GDP. India is looking for a balance trade agreement as it would cover 40% of the global GDP and over 42% of world’s population.
The RCEP members include 10 ASEAN members – Brunei Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Laos and Vietnam and their 6 free trade agreement partners – India, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand.
The ministerial meeting will be followed by the 2nd RCEP Leaders Summit on 14th November, 2018, in Singapore.
Ministry of Defence
STARTUP20 INCEPTION MEET – NIIO SHOWCASE
The Naval Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation showcased medical innovations undertaken by Indian Naval officers during the inception meeting of the Startup20 Engagement Group under India’s G20 presidency. Various medical innovations including the ‘Aadyant’ Oxygen Recycling System, ‘Spandan’ low-cost digital stethoscope and ‘Nebiro’ smart portable nebuliser were displayed.
Delegates from G 20 countries and senior functionaries including G20 Sherpa Mr Amitabh Kant and CEO Niti Aayog Mr Parameswaran Iyer interacted with the naval officers and praised the innovative work being done by the Indian Navy under the theme “Indian Navy – Innovating towards Nation Building”.
The two-day event, set up under India's G20 presidency is being held on 28-29 Jan 23 at Hyderabad. Startup20 aspires to create a global narrative for supporting start-ups and enabling synergies between start-ups, corporates, investors, innovation agencies and other key ecosystem stakeholders.
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Ministry of Jal Shakti
Catch the Rain Project
After the successful implementation of Jal Shakti Abhiyan in 2019, Ministry of Jal Shakti planned to take up the Jal Shakti Abhiyan-II , covering all blocks of all districts of the country but could not be taken up due to Covid-19 pandemic imposed restrictions. However, to keep its continuity, Ministry of Jal Shakti launched a campaign “Catch the Rain” with the tag line “Catch the rain, where it falls, when it falls” to nudge the states and all stakeholders to create Rain Water Harvesting Structures  suitable to the climatic conditions and sub-soil strata, with people’s active participation,
This year, Ministry of Jal Shakti has taken up the “Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain”  with the theme “Catch the Rain - Where it Falls When it Falls” to cover all the blocks of all districts  across the country during 22nd March 2021 to 30th November 2021 - the pre-monsoon and monsoon period. The “Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch The Rain” campaign was launched by the Hon’ble Prime Minister on 22 March 2021, the World Water Day. This is taken up as a continuation of the Jal Shakti Abhiyan campaign of 2019 which covered 1592 blocks out of the 2836 blocks in 256 water stressed districts in the country.
- Creation of new and maintenance of old Rainwater harvesting structures; revival of traditional rainwater harvesting structures like stepwells etc; enumeration, geo-tagging, making inventory of water bodies, reuse and recharge of bore wells; watershed development, intensive afforestation preparation of scientific water conservation plans and setting up of Jal Shakti Kendras are part of the campaign.
Ministry of Jal Shakti has allocated an amount uptoRs. 2.00 lakh as incentive based financial grant to each district including that of Tamil Nadu for GIS mapping and preparation of district water conservation scientific plan under JSA:CTR. Besides, funds are released to the State Governments under respective schemes of the concerned line Ministries.
Present status of the works undertaken under JSA:CTR during the period 22.3.2021 to 12.7.2021, as uploaded on JSA:CTR Portal , by the Central stakeholder Ministries/ Departments in respect of their Key Performance Indicators are given below: -
|
|
S.No.
|
|
Parameter/activity
|
|
Number of works completed
|
|
1.
|
|
Water conservation and rain water harvesting
|
|
4,05,293
|
|
2.
|
|
Renovation of traditional water bodies
|
|
70,445
|
|
3.
|
|
Reuse and recharge structures
|
|
1,78,998
|
|
4.
|
|
Watershed development
|
|
4,32,549
|
|
5.
|
|
Intensive afforestation
|
|
25,05,000
|
|
6.
|
|
Training/awareness programmes by KVK
|
|
5,465
|
|
7.
|
|
Enumeration of water bodies
|
|
13,79,452
This Information was given by the Minister of State for Jal Shakti and Tribal Affairs, Shri Bishweswar Tudu in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.
Ministry of Commerce & Industry
Shri Piyush Goyal to visit Saudi Arabia on 18-19 September, 2022 to co-chair Ministerial Meeting of Economic & Investments Committee
Shri Piyush Goyal and Saudi Energy Minister to discuss priority areas including West Coast Refinery project, Trans-ocean grid, Green Hydrogen, Food security, Pharmaceutical, Energy Security and Saudi plan of USD 100 billion investment in India
Commerce Minister Shri Goyal to meet Saudi counterpart H.E Dr. Majid bin Abdullah Alkassabi to discuss gamut of economic issues
Visit to give further impetus to strategic partnership with Saudi Arabia
Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and Textiles, Shri Piyush Goyal, will be on a 2 day visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on 18-19 September 2022 to co-chair the inaugural Ministerial Meeting of the Economic and Investments Committee with the Minister of Energy of Saudi Arabia, HRH Prince Abdul Aziz Bin Salman.
This Ministerial Committee is one of the two Ministerial verticals established under the framework of the India-Saudi Arabia Strategic Partnership Council, which is headed at the highest level by the Prime Minister of India and the Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The two Ministers are expected to discuss the progress made under the various Joint Working Groups of the Economic and Investment committee. Both sides are expected to formulate plan of action for further strengthening bilateral cooperation in an array of priority areas and projects, including the West Coast Refinery Project, Trans-ocean grid connectivity, Green Hydrogen, Food security, energy security and pharmaceuticals; and accelerate progress on the announcement made by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman, during his visit to India in February 2019, of investments worth USD 100 Billion in India.
During the visit, the Minister is also scheduled to meet Minister of Commerce of Saudi Arabia H.E Dr. Majid bin Abdullah Alkassabi and is expected to hold wide-ranging discussions on the gamut of economic ties between the two countries.
India and Saudi Arabia relations are defined by a forward-looking strategic partnership that encompasses all major areas of cooperation. Economic ties are a pivotal pillar of this partnership. India is the second largest trade partner of Saudi Arabia and Saudi Arabia is India’s fourth largest trade partner.
The visit to Saudi Arabia, one of the strategic partners of India, will add further impetus to this dynamic and ever growing strategic partnership, and pave the way for new areas of cooperation that will further strengthen commercial and trade ties between the two countries.